


Fear in darkness

by PaisleyTrash



Category: My Time At Portia (Video Game)
Genre: Arlo is a good boyfriend, Caring, Dorks in Love, Fear, Insecurity, M/M, Panic, Sensory Deprivation, Vulnerability, loss of senses
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:08:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27258433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PaisleyTrash/pseuds/PaisleyTrash
Summary: The civil corps has a run in with a gang of Masked Feinds in the ruins. Ollie gets hit with a different kind of dart and looses all his senses. The civil corps works together to care for their own as he recovers his senses one by one.
Relationships: Arlo/OC, Female Builder/Dr. Xu (My Time At Portia)
Kudos: 4





	1. Loss

Arlo burst through the doors of the clinic, holding Ollie, limp, and unconscious. Remington and Sam followed immediately afterward.

Xu immediately sprang up from his desk, adrenaline pumping. It wasn't rare to have one or two of the civil corps officers inside the clinic.

To see them all as panicked as they were, was a rarity.

"What happened?"

Remington responded. "Masked fiend got a dart in him. It's not the usual green toxin. The darts are filled with purple liquid."

Remington pulled out a full dart filled with the aforementioned purple substance. Phyllis donned a pair of thick green gloves and a mask, gently taking the tube from Remington's outstretched hand.

Arlo meanwhile gingerly placed Ollie onto the nearby hospital bed and began removing his uniform coat and boots. Xu placed a monitor on his finger and several diodes on Ollies now exposed chest, hooking him up to a plethora of machines. After Ollie was settled, Xu turned to Arlo.

"What happened?"

Arlo sighed. "We were clearing out some fiends that had taken residence in WOW industries. These guys were different than the normal fiends, smaller, more agile. They were shooting the same green vials as the usual fiends. Ollie was unlucky and got hit. We gave him some bamboo incense, but he deteriorated quickly. It wasn't until Sam searched the fiend that shot him that we realized he got hit with something different."

Xu furrowed his brow. He placed an IV into Ollie's hand and hooked him up to a bag of fluids. Xu watched the other three members of the corps look lost, unsure of what to do next. 

Sam spoke up rather quickly. "Arlo, you should stay here until he wakes up."

Arlo replied, sounding almost defeated. "You couldn't make me leave his side right now…"

Xu stepped away from the group as each leaned down to speak to Ollie softly. Unsure if he could hear them before Sam and Remington walked out the door to their own patrol routes.

Phyllis walked out of the clinic's small testing area with a look of concern that Xu had never seen on her before. A look best described as 'I don't know if you are going to believe me.'

"The purple liquid? It isn't poison."

"Then what is it?"

"It's filled with neuro-dampeners."

Xu's eyes widened in shock. "What kind exactly?"

"The kind the inhibit the senses."

"Oh, god."

Arlo looked up, alarmed. "Xu? What's wrong with Ollie!?"

Xu covered his mouth, realizing he said that last part far too loud. Phyllis stepped in. "We found something in the dart he was shot with… that could affect his senses. The good news is, it looks like it'll be temporary."

Arlo still looked alarmed. "What's the bad news?"

"..... we don't know which senses he's going to lose. Or for how long."

Arlo's face paled as Phyllis continued.

"He could lose all of them…. including pain and balance. He might be out of commission for a while."

Arlo slumped back, crushed by the news. He looked to Ollies sleeping form. Worried that he might be awake and unable to tell him. Arlo reached forward and squeezed Ollie's hand. He pressed a kiss to his temple and whispered against it.

"I'm right here love, I'm not going anywhere."

Ollie woke up at around 17:00, screaming.

It jostled both Arlo and Xu, mostly Arlo, as he was right next to Ollie's bed. Ollie's shouting was slurred like he couldn't feel his mouth moving or hear his voice.

Ollie was in complete, soundless darkness. Complete sensory deprivation. He could sense that he was on something solid but couldn't tell what. He could feel that his mouth was moving and that his eyes were open.

Kinda.

He could not hear the sound of his own voice.

"Arlo?!? Sam??! Remy?! Where are you guys??"

Arlo gripped Ollie's hand. "Ollie? I'm right here, baby."

Ollie didn't seem to register that he was being touched until Arlo squeezed his hand. Ollie squeezed back. Arlo quickly realized Ollie couldn't hear him. Ollie looked in his direction. His eyes were hazy and unfocused. He looked directly through Arlo. 

Ollie can't see him. he brought Ollie's hand to his face and pressed. Oliver could feel the full pressure on his hand. Slowly but surely, he could make up the contours of a face. 

Ollie's lips curled into a smile. 

"Arlo!"

Ollie could feel Arlo's lips moving against his palm. He couldn't register the words.

"Why is it so dark? I can't hear anything…"

Xu was standing by anxiously watching the situation unfold. Arlo looked up to him, concerned. "Xu, what's happening?"

Xu wished he could give him an answer. 

"Arlo? Are you still there? Please don't leave me…. I'm scared."

Arlo squeezed Ollie's hand again.

Xu had an idea. He stepped forward and, using his pointer finger, traced letters into Ollie's chest.

"F E E L T H I S?"

Ollie seemed to light up. 

"Kinda. Who is this?"

"X U."

Arlo caught on and did the same.

"I M R I G H T H E R E."

"Arlo?"

"Y E S"

"Where am I?"

"C L I N I C."

After a lengthy explanation, Arlo carried Ollie from the clinic and back into the civil corps HQ. Sam and Remington were sitting in the common area eagerly awaiting any news. When Arlo walked through the doors, with Ollie still limp in his arms, their faces dropped. Arlo answered the forefront question on their minds before they could ask.

"He's awake."

Sam shot up and rushed over. "Why is he limp still?"

Ollie palmed up and grasped her side. "Sam?"

She gripped his hand in a hurry. "Ollie? Are you okay?"

"I can't hear you…"

Before Sam could speak louder, Arlo interjected. "He can't hear you, Sam. He can't see or taste anything either."

Remington had walked over and piped up. "What the hell was in that dart?"

Alto gingerly placed Ben in a chair before turning to Remington and Sam.

"Neuro somethings. Xu and Phyllis don't know when his senses will come back. Until they do, I'm purely on admin duty."

Remington spoke up. "Arlo, don't shut us out at a time like this."

Arlo sighed. "I'm not shutting you guys out."

Sam responded. "Then, let us help you with him."

"I'll be doing this alone. Because I don't know about you, but I don't think he would feel comfortable with anyone but me feeding and bathing him right now."

Sam giggled. "You don't want us chewing his food for him?"

Remington continued. "Or seeing him naked and wet?"

"GUYS! He's right here! You are both terrible, terrible people, and I hate you."

Remington piped up. "In the spirit of helping you in a non-physical manner, I'll make some rice porridge."

Sam continued. "I'll get the laundry from outside."

Remington kneeled next to Ollie before going into the kitchen. "How have you and Xu been talking to him?"

"We have been writing letters into his chest. He can't feel the touch, but he can feel the pressure."

Remington pushed a finger to Ben's chest and carefully wrote out. "H U N G R Y ?"

Ollie nodded. "Who is this?"

"R E M Y"

"Hey rem, and I don't know. I can't feel my stomach."

Remington stood and nodded at Arlo before walking back into the kitchen. 

Arlo knelt down and pressed a kiss to Ollie's lips before writing onto his chest. 

"B A T H?"

"Are you saying I smell?"

"Y E S"

"Your sleeping on the couch tonight. Cheeky bastard"


	2. Later that  night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ollies care begins. Arlo worries a lot.

Arlo filled the large metal tub with water and set out all the supplies he would need.

Bar soap? Check. Shampoo? Check. A plethora of fluffy towels? Check. Ollies favorite pajamas? Check and double-check.

He reached into the tub to check the temperature. Lukewarm to him, but what if it was too hot? Arlo's anxiety levels were spiking, unsure of what exactly to do.

Arlo wasn't a gentleman. He often forgot his own strength, leading to broken mugs and training dummies. He could tackle criminals and monsters with the best of them. He was the rough one in the relationship, the one that would grip bruises into Ollies hips that would ache for days afterward.

Ollie loved it, of course. However, Arlo would never forgive himself if he hurt Ollie. Especially now.

Ollie couldn't feel any sensation other than pressure. He couldn't see or hear. Taste and smell were also gone. His sense of balance was even gone with the wind for the time being. Sam passed by the bathroom, and Arlo called out to her. When she entered the small room, he looked at her nervously. "Can you feel the bathwater? I wanna make sure it isn't too hot."

Sam stuck her hand into the lukewarm water. "It's perfectly fine, Arlo."

"Are you sure?"

"Your rattled."

Arlo sighed. "I won't forgive myself if he gets hurt right now."

Sam placed her hands on his shoulders. "Ollie is going to bounce back. Now it would benefit him to be clean, don't you think?"

Arlo followed her into the living room. Ollie laid in the same spot on the couch. His eyes were closed, and his breathing was even. Arlo gently shook him awake. Ollie still started slightly.

"Who's there?"

Arlo traced onto his chest. "A R L O. B A T H"

Arlo lifted Ollies limp form into his arms and carried him into the bathroom. Arlo, with a tenderness that felt foreign to him, pulled Ollie's clothes off of him. He gently set him into the water, his head pillowed onto sam's bath cushion. Arlo gently washed Ollie's hair and body before pulling him out and drying him off. Arlo dressed him in a pair of soft blue pajama pants with cotton llamas on them and one of his old tee shirts.

Arlo changed out of his uniform and carried Ollie out into the kitchen. Surprisingly Marri, the builder, was there with an odd-looking chair. It was slightly reclined and covered in a soft cloth. The seat itself was tilted at a 45-degree angle; there was extra cushioning where someone's head and back would go. She looked up and smiled at him. 

"Hey, Arlo."

"Is there something you need, Marri?"

"Oh! No. I heard about Ollie and figured I'd make something so that he could sit at the table with you."

She helped Arlo guide Ollies limp form into the chair. It held Ollie at the perfect angle so that he could eat.

"How did you hear about Ollie?"

"Arlo, I was in the clinic when you guys bust in."

Arlo looked dumbfounded. "You were?"

"Did you think that glass of water magically got into your hands?"

Alto stared at her silently, blinking owlishly. She continued. "Xu forgot his lunch this morning. I was just about to leave when you guys came in."

Arlo thanked her, and she left. Remington cleared his throat and directed Arlo's attention to the fully set table.

Rice, ground beef, eggs, and a side of miso soup. A bowl of incredibly boiled down rice with a dollop of miso mixed in was set in front of Ollie. Arlo sat down next to Ollie. 

"Thanks for the food, Rem." 

Arlo ate quickly, having neglected to eat all day due to stress. He cleared his plate in record time before quickly stirring Ollies' dinner. He blew on the spoonful, and once he was satisfied that it was cool enough, he brought it to Ollie's lips.

Xu had figured out Ollie couldn't swallow in his current state after a few tests. They were able to get Ollie to swallow with a little extra effort.

Arlo applied gentle pressure to ollies lip and jaw. Once his lips opened, he gently guided the spoon into Ollie's mouth. He pulled it out and gently tilted Ollie's head back while massaging his throat. Arlo repeated the process until the bowl of porridge was completely empty.

There was no telling how long this could last. Arlo wasn't going to risk Ollie being malnourished if this lasted longer than anticipated. Xu had suggested a feeding tube if this lasts longer than a week.

Arlo really hoped it didn't come to that point.

Arlo gently wrote into Ollie's chest. "T I R E D?"

"A bit."

Arlo lifted Ollie from the chair, checking the time on the way out. 9pm, a little early for them both. Arlo couldn't deny anymore.

He was exhausted. Both physically and emotionally.

Arlo gently placed Ollie onto the bed and climbed in next to him. He rolled Ollie so that he was in his usual sleeping position. Splayed against Arlo's side, his head pillowed against his bicep.

Arlo carefully drew with his hand against Ollies back. 

"I L O V E Y O U."

"Love you too, red. Goodnight."

Arlo pressed a firm kiss to Ollie's lips and listened intently to Ollies breathing. 

Once it evened out, Arlo finally let the tears of worry and frustration fall down his face.


End file.
